In the automotive art an electronic "black box" is sometimes located beneath the driver's seat, with the box having a visual indicator as part of its testing circuit. In order to test the circuit for proper operation, a button is depressed causing a light emitting diode (LED) to light, indicating that the "black box" is operating properly.
However, because of the remote location of the "black box", the light indicator is often difficult to see, requiring the tester to, for example, bend down and attempt to, not only look under the seat, but to try to visually align his sight in line with the specific location of the LED or, for example, an extending light pipe terminating at the exterior, top surface of the "black box."
To overcome this problem an initial application of the present invention is to cause the light rays emanating from the LED to be dispersed radially out from around the distal end of the light pipe and further, preferably to cause the at least generally radial dispersion to be also upwardly diverted, creating a surrounding light pattern, which is not only planar, but is also diverted upwardly, greatly increasing the various possible visual lines of sight available to detect the lighting-up of the LED.
This specific application of the invention thus avoids awkwardness and difficulty in viewing the indicator light for the "black box", although located in a rather remote position, without adding significantly to the exterior bulk of the "black box".
Alternatively, the invention is useable, not only as a transmitter, causing longitudinally traveling light rays to be dispersed at least generally radially outwardly from the longitudinal direction or axis of a light pipe, but also to serve as a receiver or collector. In the latter receiver application, the device collects light emanating from around the light pipe from, for example, various, diverging or radial directions, collecting them into the end of the light pipe for then traveling longitudinally through the light pipe to, for example, a detector or light sensor. An exemplary automotive application of the latter, receiver mode is as a light collector to accept infrared rays from any compass position and from a range of vertical positions and direct them to a receptor, as part of an infrared remote personal entry system into the vehicle.
The light pipe and light diverting system of the present invention can be substantively identical for the two applications, the primary difference being in the direction of light flow.